Apparatus for controlling inventory replacements



Dec. 9, 1952 wg ss 2,620,803

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING INVENTORY REPLACEMENTS Filed May 2, 1951 PERIOD Sm:

BAT s Aooacss or STORE nun M|sc., DATA ADDRESS OF MANUFACTURER FIG. 6 24 REPLACEMENT Mencuaums: on Omen Dru-E ITEM NUMBER REMARKS INVENTOR. Flea. '7 V 8 ARNOLD A. Wen-5s Y 7 FIG-1.8 $11 W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1952 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING INVENTORY REPLACEMENTS Arnold A. Weiss, West Bend, Wis., assignor to Amity Leather Products 00., West Bend, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 2, 1951, Serial No. 224,168

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in the apparatus for and method of controlling inventory replacement.

Certain lines of merchandise, such as for example personal leather goods, are purchased by retail outlets from a single source of supply. Usually the basic stock or inventory of the items in such line of merchandise is predetermined from past experience and the retailer desires to maintain this basic stock on hand.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and easily operated apparatus for and substantially fool-proof method of controlling the replacement of such basic stock.

Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus and method which will also provide a guide for the determination of the type of items and amounts of basic stock.

In its fundamental aspects the method by which these objects are obtained consists: in collecting in a convenient receptacle during a prescribed interval of time all of the tickets which identify each item of merchandise from a single known source of supply sold during each interval; forwarding these tickets at the end of such interval to such source of supply in an envelope identified as the envelope for such period; recording on a card identified as corresponding to such interval the volume and descriptive properties of the items of merchandise covered by such tickets and storing such card for future analysis; preparing at said source an order for merchandise represented by such ticket and mailing a copy of such order to the customer who forwarded such tickets. By this simple method the retailer is assured that there is always on order a supply of merchandise toreplace that sold during a selected interval.

The apparatus or kit which is used in performing such method consists of: a ticket identifying each item of merchandise received from a single source of supply; a multi-compartment container having a first compartment adapted to receive for temporary storage such tickets as removed from each item as sold, a second compartment adapted to hold a plurality of arranged envelopes, and a third compartment for storing record cards; a plurality of envelopes each addressed to the single source of supply, having the retailers identification and address, and having the date of the end of a selected reorder interval, for example Saturday dates for weekly intervals, said envelopes being arranged chronologically in said second compartment; a record card within each one of such envelopes on which may be entered descriptive matter concerning the items represented by tickets to be placed in said one of said envelopes, said card to be removed from said one of said envelopes and stored in said third compartment; and a cover for the container which has an opening providing access only to said first compartment. By using this kit the retailer by prescribing a simple routine for its sales people can control the reordering of basic stock without the undue time losses of the present systems where replacement orders pass through the usual purchasing department channels. The kit also assures the maintenance of a record showing turnover and acting as a guide for future buying. The dated envelopes act as a visible reminder record of the time for entering a replacement order and provides a ready check-up to see if such order has for some reason not been replaced on time.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a basic stock control kit embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the kit of Fig. 1 with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the kit of Fig. 2 with parts broken away and shown in section for illustration;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in rear side elevation of an envelope forming an element of said kit;

Fig. 6 is a view in front side elevation of such envelope;

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of a record card forming an element of said kit; and

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of an identification ticket and forming an element of said kit.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, the specific embodiment of the invention therein shown consists of a kit indicated generally at 10 comprising a containe I 2 (in which are stored the other elements of the kit hereinafter described) and a cover It. The container I? has a removable compartment [6 particularly d signed to receive and temporarily store articleidentifying tickets l8 (see Fig. 8). The tickets l8 contain indicia describing the articles and its price and one such ticket is attached to each article by the manufacturer or single source of supply of such article. The cover M has a slot 29 so positioned that when the cover is properly placed on the container I2 such slot will be in alinement with the compartment 16. As tickets H are removed from an article sold they may be readily inserted through the slot and will be directed into the ticket storage compartment It. By making the compartment I5 removable it can be bodily lifted from the container l2 to facilitate the removal of tickets I8.

Another removable compartment 22 for the storage of record cards 24 (see Fig. 7) also is held in the container I2. The cards 24 have identified places for registering the description of each item represented by a ticket I8. One such record card 24 is placed within an envelope 26.

The back of each envelope 26 (as shown in Fig. 5) is provided near the central upper portion thereof with a date which is the last date of an interval selected for the collection of tickets for the placing of replacement orders. On a weekly interval basis such date on each envelope would correspond to the date on the Saturday of each Week of the year or some other check-up period. t is also desirable to have instructions and space for placing the retailers name and address and order number (if any) on the back of such envelopes. The front of each envelope 26 is provided with the name and address of the manufacturer or single source of the particular merchandise (see Fig. 6) so that upon removal of the envelope it is ready for immediate mailing.

A compartment 28 for the envelopes is formed between the front wall 353 of the container l2 and the compartment 22. The envelopes 25 are arranged chronologically within the compartment 28 so that the earliest dated envelope is in front. The wall 30 is provided with a notch 32 alined with such date so that with the cover It removed the date on the first envelope is readily visible. Each envelope thus acts as a visibl reminder of the date for placing a replacement order and shows if there has been a failure to place the order.

In order to keep readily visible the simple instructions for the operation of the kit there may be provided a spacer member 34 the top of which slopes downwardly and forwardly as shown in Fig. 4. Thus any instructional data placed on such top will be readily visible on the removal of the cover M. The rear wall (to the left as viewed in Fig. 4) of the compartment 22 may be lower than the front wall so that the removal of record cards 24 is facilitated and the visibility of the instructions enhanced. The spacer 3 3 may have foot portions 35 and 33 extending under the compartments IS and 22, respectively, and secured to the bottom of the container [2 to hold such spacer in place whenever the compartments I B and 22 are removed.

The detailed steps of the method using the control kit to control replacement of inventory will now be described. The manufacturer or single source of supply attaches to each item of merchandise delivered to the retailer one of the ar tide-identifying tickets I8. As the article is sold the sales clerk removes the ticket I8 and inserts it through the slot 20 in the kit Where it will be temporarily stored with other tickets removed from other items of merchandise of the same source of supply. At the end of a week or at the beginning of a new week, if the week be selected as the interval of replacing orders, the department manager, or other person of supervisory authority in the particular department where the merchandise kit is located, will collect from compartment l8 all the tickets therein deposited during such interval. At the same time the envelope bearing the date of the end of the interval will be removed from the compartment 28 and the record card 24 in such envelope will be removed from such envelope. The identification data appearing on each of the tickets l8 will be recorded on such card in proper spaces provided therefor and the card placed in compartment 22. All of the tickets 18, removed from the compartment IE, will be placed in such envelope and the address of the retailer and the particular department where the k'ilt is located will be indicated on the back of such envelope and the envelope mailed. The source of supply upon receipt of the envelope 26 makes up a shipment order using such tickets to enumerate the merchandise to be shipped. At the same time such supplier will make a copy of its shipment order to supply to the retailer. Such copy will advise the date of shipment and may be used by the retailer to furnish instructions to its receiving room. This method provides for the quick and accurate placement of orders for replacement of the merchandise sold. The usual routine of forwarding requisitions to the purchasing department and the issue of purchase orders is circumvented. Most important too is the actual physical control of the amount and type of merchandise to be ordered. This includes a running picture which is obtained by scanning through the record cards 24 stored in the compartment 22.

In comiection with the kit there ma be used a stock control book or ledger in which is entered the original basic inventory. Into this ledger there may be entered the information received from the supplier on the copy of the replacement order. This book or ledger will then furnish a composite picture of the movement of each item of merchandise as well as the listing of all the items that have been ordered and the frequency of re-orders of such items. It will provide a ready means for checking the physical inventory against book inventory.

In instances where the retailer-purchaser has placed with the source of supply a blanket order for stock replacement, the receiving room of such retailer will have a record thereof and it will then only be necessary for the retailer to place on the envelope 26 the number of such blanket order. The supplier need not then furnish its receiving room with the copy of the suppliers confirmation order.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to cover such changes or modifications as come within the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claim.

I claim:

Apparatus for the control of basic stock replacement comprising, a container having a front wall, sidewalls and a rear wall, a first removable compartment fitting within said container adjacent said rear wall and being adapted for temporary storage of article-identifying tickets, a second removable compartment for the storage of record cards, said second compartment having a rear wall lower than the front wall thereof to facilitate the removal of a: cards and enhance the visibility of instructional data, said second compartment being spaced rearwardly of the front wall of said container to form therewith a third compartment adapted for storage of envelopes, a plurality of preaddressed envelopes stored in said second compartment with the backs thereof facing in the same direction and toward the front wall of said container, date identification indicia placed on the back of each envelope, an opening in said front wall of said container in alinement with said indicia to provide ready vision thereto, a record card in each of said envelopes adapted to be stored in said third compartment upon removal from said envelopes, a spacer positioned between said first and second removable compartments having a rear wall extending to the top of the walls of said container and a front wall extending to the top of said rear wall of said second compartment and a sloping top provided with instructional data, said spacer having foot portions extending under said first and second compartments and secured to the bottom of said container, and a cover for said container having an opening providing access to only said first compartment.

ARNOLD A. WEISS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

